Lyman #358446?

[1894cfan]

Anybody know what bullet style this is? WC, SWC, FN, RN? Saw it mentioned in a Skeeter Skelton article.

[Ysabel Kid]

Don't know first hand, but it appears to be a Keith-style SWC.

[JimT]

It's a Semi-Wadcutter Hollow Point

358446 HPin38Sp-2.jpg

[black river smith]

As JIm stated it is a SWC that is about 162 grains

Also here is a link I have used for years for looking up Lyman bullet #'s. ---- http://ps-2.kev009.com/ohland/Cast_Bull ... tions.html

Enjoy!

[samsi]

Not really a Keith style, look at the short nose with minimal ogive in Jim's pic. I've got an old Ideal 357446 mold in non-HP form. It's not the easiest casting bullet so I don't make a lot of them, but contrary to numerous online claims mine shoot fine.

[1894cfan]

Thank you, guys. Looks like a single crimp groove flat base version of the double groove Ray Thompson SWC/GC in hollow point. I know Lyman has the #358429 in hollow point, just wish they'd bring back the #358156hp again! Just got done lubing/sizing a bunch of #358156 made from 1-16 lead alloy!

Was thinking of using 14gr 2400 instead of 13.5gr with these since the max was 15gr 2400. Was thinking a kinda medium heavy load? What say you? Too much? Gonna use these in a Ruger New Vaquero and a three screw Blackhawk. TIA

[1894cfan]

As JIm stated it is a SWC that is about 162 grains

Also here is a link I have used for years for looking up Lyman bullet #'s. ---- http://ps-2.kev009.com/ohland/Cast_Bull ... tions.html

Enjoy!

Thank you for the link! Been having fun going through it!

[Walt]

The Lyman 358477 is one of their most popular plain base bullets. My old Lyman cast bullet book doesn't show a bullet 358446 but I believe 358466 is the hollow point version of the 358477. The RCBS equivalent is the 38-150 which mysteriously went from a 150 to a 160 grain bullet. I like to cast with 2 molds simultaneously and ordered 2 of the 38-150 molds years ago thinking they would be the same but no such luck.

[1894cfan]

I'm kinda partial to the #358665 myself. It's the 158gr flat nose cowboy bullet. With the Lee 358-158-RF a close second, that one is a WIDE flat nose bullet! I prefer molding them in 1-16 lead, soft enough to expand even at 38spl velocities.

[Walt]

The 358665 appears to be made just for lever actions because its rounded ogive feeds very smoothly. It also shoots very well in revolvers.

[1894cfan]

YUP! Also got an 1894c, as if you didn't know!

[black river smith]

I'm kinda partial to the #358665 myself. It's the 158gr flat nose cowboy bullet. With the Lee 358-158-RF a close second, that one is a WIDE flat nose bullet! I prefer molding them in 1-16 lead, soft enough to expand even at 38spl velocities.

I totally agree with you about the Lyman 358665. I started with the Lee 158 gr but that wide nose design would jam during feeding into the 1892 Rossi design. Won't be using it myself for the rifle. But then got the Lyman 358665 mold and it fed easily and cycled smoothly.

As far as alloy, I use the guidance of 'what-was' as listed in the old Lyman 39th Handbook under the 38 Extra Long cartridge and the 38 S&W, being a 1/20 alloy. Figuring the Extra Long to be close enough to the 357 Mag with a medium load, compared to 160 grain & 31 grains of BP. It worked for my level of shooting.

I have not, nor do I expect ,to shoot a lot of full 357 Mag in the rifle or handgun. So, I load what is comfortable in both.

[1894cfan]

Yup, I'm beginning to rethink the 14gr 2400 load, 13.5gr @ 1200fps seems a bit more reasonable for both target AND defense use! I haven't had any problems running the Lee bullet through my 1894c, either 38spl or 357mag, but the Lyman bullet just seems to run a bit smoother. Just wish my 357 riffle ran SWCs without jamming, though.

[Walt]

My go to load in .357 revolvers is 13.5 gr of 2400 behind a Lyman 358156GC bullet. In a 6 1/2" Ruger they move out at about 1280 fps and standard deviations are below 15 fps. It's a good load for me.

[1894cfan]

Yup, that was Skeeter's favorite medium 357 load, and one I've been using for all 158gr bullets, both cast and jacketed! In my 5.5" New Vaquero, that load is likely doing about 1200 to 1250fps. LOTS more out the 18.5" Marlin, according to the Lyman 4th edition of the Cast Bullet Handbook (with LOTS of stuff by Mike Venturino) that load is going 1704fps out of a 20" barrel. I'm actually going to load the #358665 bullet made with 1-16 lead with that powder load this time around and saving the #358156GC for 38spl defense loads out of a J frame.